Union



( o Model.)

A. L. GOOMBS. NEEDLE BAR FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Panzented Apr. 14, 1896;

M. PHOTQ-UTHuWASmNG'ION. D cv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAM L. .COOMBS, OF CLIFTONDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SPECIAL SEWING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

NEEDLE-BAR FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 558,449, dated April 14, 1896.

Application filed February 26, 1896. Serial No. 580,822. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAM L. COOMBS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cliftondale, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Needle-Bars, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improvement in sewing-machines, and'especially to a machine using two or more needles set at distances apart to make a plurality of rows of stitching. The needles are usually set in a clamp or collar on the needle-bar, and when it is desired to change the distance apart of the needles, or the gage, as it is called,'a new needle-bar or new collar must be furnished.

The object of my invention is to provide a needle-bar and cooperating collar, whereby the same needle-bar may be used and have needles set at varying distances apartthat is, the gage of the machine or the space between the needles, and consequently the distance apart of the rows of stitching, may be varied, making the same machine therefore convertible into a one, two, three, 850., gage at will.

The invention consists, therefore, of a needle-bar having at its lower end sockets for the reception of needle-shanks, said sockets being arranged in pairs, the sockets of each pair diametrically opposite one another and the depth of said sockets varying to vary the distance apart at which the needles are arranged,with means for clamping the needles in the sockets.

Furthermore, the invention includes, in addition to the above, a collar or ring having diametrically-placed sockets adapted to register with any of the needle-holding sockets, and means for securing said collar and needles in place.

Finally, it consists of means for holding the collar from movement when the needles are set, and in the other matters as hereinafter described, and referred to in the appended claims. I

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a needle-bar of a sewing-machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3, a sectional end view Fig. 4, a sectional end view of a modification.

In the drawings, A represents the needlebar, provided at its lower end with a series of grooves or sockets (herein shown as six in number) a a, b b, c c, the sockets or grooves designated by the same letter being arranged diametrically opposite each other, and the grooves are cut of difierent depths, so that the solid portion of the lower end of the needle-bar is of varying thickness, the distance between the inner walls of the socket a being equal to the distance apart of the shanks of the needles on a one-gage machine, I) b of a two-gage machine, and c c of athreegage machine.

B represents a clamping-collar having two oppositely-placed grooves or sockets d, and by rotating the needle-bar any pair of the sockets a a, b b, c 0 may be made to register with said sockets d, and in the annular space formed by the walls of the sockets cl and any of the sockets a, b, or c the shanks of the needles e are inserted, being held securely in position by the clamping-screws D passing through the collar B into the socket d.

A collar E is rigidly fixed to the needle-bar above the collar B and it acts as a stop for the upper ends of the needle-shanks. This collar E is provided with notches g, adapted to receive the upper end of a hook h, attached to the collar B, so that when said hook engages any one of the notches rotary movement of the needle-bar within the collaris prevented. These notches are so arranged on the collar D that when the hook engages any one the socket d will be registering with one set of sockets a, b, or c and the needlebar can only be turned by taking out the needles and disengaging the hook from its notch. A suitable thread-guide e is provided on the collar B, and to avoid twisting the upper thread when the gage of the needles is changed the upper end of the needle-bar is provided with a screw-threaded socket in which is adjustably secured by means of a screw a thread-eyelet k, which may thus be adjusted to be always in proper position with respect to the guiding-eyelet 2' on the collar B.-

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of this device,- in which the hook and notches are dispensed with and the needle-bar is prevented from rotating when the proper adjustment has been made by means of screws l passing through the collar and adapted to engage false shanks m, fitting two proximate sockets b c, the collar B having registering sockets d.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 15-- 1. A needle-bar for sewing-machines provided at its lower end with sockets for the reception of needle-shanks, said sockets being arranged in pairs with the sockets of each pair diametrically opposite each other and with the sockets of the respective pairs of varying depths, and means for clamping the needle-shanks in the sockets; substantially as described.

2. A needle-bar for sewing-machines provided at its lower end with sockets for the reception of needle-shanks, said sockets being arranged in pairs with the sockets of each pair diametrically opposite each other and with the sockets of the respective pairs of varying depths, a collar or ring having diametrically-placed sockets adapted to register r the needle-bar with which said hook engages; I substantially as described.

4. A needle-bar provided with a horizontally-adjustable eyelet on its upper end and with a series of pairs of sockets on its lower end, the diametrical distances between the sockets of the respective pairs varying, a collar embracing the lower end of the needle-bar and provided with means for clamping the needle-shanks, and means carried by said collar for engaging the needle-bar, whereby the collar and needle-bar may be held from relative rotary motion; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABRAM L. COOMBS, \Vitnesses:

J AMES IV. BEASLEY, E. O. LAWRENCE. 

